Theodore Raimi (born December 14, 1965) is an American character actor, director and writer. He is known for his roles in the works of his brother Sam Raimi, including a fake Shemp in The Evil Dead, possessed Henrietta in Evil Dead II, and Ted Hoffman in the Spider-Man trilogy.Peter David's novelizations of the films reveal his first name to be Ted, after the actor who plays him. He later reprised his role as Henrietta in the television series Ash vs. Evil Dead, in which he also played the character Chet Kaminski. He is also known for his roles as Lieutenant JG Tim O'Neill in seaQuest DSV, the merchant in Legend of the Seeker, and Joxer the Mighty in both Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.
Raimi has appeared in minor roles in the films Crimewave, Intruder, Shocker, Darkman, Candyman, Army of Darkness, Clear and Present Danger, The Grudge, Drag Me to Hell, and Oz the Great and Powerful, as well as the television series ALF, Twin Peaks, Baywatch, and Supernatural. He has had voice roles in the television series Invader Zim and Code Monkeys, and in the video games Evil Dead: Regeneration and The Quarry.
Early life
Raimi was born to a Jewish family in Detroit, Michigan. His parents are Celia (née Abrams), a lingerie store proprietor, and Leonard Raimi, a furniture store proprietor. Ted was raised in Conservative Judaism, and his ancestors immigrated from Russia and Hungary. He attended Wylie E. Groves High School in Beverly Hills, Michigan, where he played blues harp and was a DJ and a member of the Groves Cinema Society. At seventeen, Raimi began his professional acting career doing industrial films in Detroit, for Ford, General Motors and Chrysler. He attended University of Michigan, New York University, then finally University of Detroit. Raimi's older brothers are director Sam Raimi and screenwriter Ivan Raimi.
Career Raimi's motion picture acting credits include: Wes Craven's Shocker, Born Yesterday, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, The Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, Army of Darkness, Darkman, and the Spider-Man series, as well as roles in such features as: Stuart Saves His Family, The Grudge, Midnight Meat Train, and Oz the Great and Powerful.
On television, he has been seen on shows such as Twin Peaks, CSI: NY, Supernatural, and Legend of the Seeker, but is best known for his roles as the communication officer Lt. Tim O'Neill on the science-fiction television series seaQuest DSV (later seaQuest 2032) and starring as the warrior aspirant Joxer on Xena: Warrior Princess.
Raimi wrote the original "Joxer the Mighty" song with help from director Josh Becker for Xena: Warrior Princess. In 2022, he joined director Alex Kahuam for his upcoming feature film Failure!, which was shot entirely in a single long-take.
Selected filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1978It's Murder!Bradley1981Fake ShempTorro. Torro. Torro!Short film1982Cleveland Smith: Bounty Hunter1985CrimewaveWaiterThou Shalt Not Kill... ExceptChain Man1987Evil Dead IIPossessed HenriettaBlood RageCondom Salesman1989IntruderJoe 'Produce Joe'Easy WheelsCharlieShocker"Pac-Man"1990DarkmanRick Anderson1991Lunatics: A Love StoryHank Stone1992Eddie Presley"Scooter"Patriot GamesCIA TechnicianCandymanBillyArmy of DarknessCowardly Warrior / Swordsmith / Villager / S-Mart ClerkCredited as "Theodore Raimi"; uncredited for roles besides "Cowardly Warrior"Inside Out VRichardDirect-to-videoDetective ArnoldHaydenManiac Cop III: Badge of SilenceReporter1993Born YesterdayCynthia's AssistantSkinnerDennis SkinnerHard TargetMan On The Street1994FlounderingSafe SalesmanClear and Present DangerSatellite AnalystIn This CornerInterviewer1995Stuart Saves His FamilyHalThe ExpertJerry's FriendUncredited1996Detective Corelli1997WishmasterEd Finney1998Hercules and Xena – The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount OlympusCriusVoice; direct-to-video film1999Freak Talks About SexJackie's Husband2001Dr. Coffee2002Spider-ManTed Hoffman2003Red ZonePhelpsBetween the SheetsGabriel / A.D.R. Mixer2004Spider-Man 2Ted HoffmanIllusionIanAlex Jones2005Man with the Screaming BrainPavelFreezerburnSpecial Agent Johnson2006High HopesSpecial Agent BrownKalamazoo?Angel2007Reign Over MePeter SaravinoMy Name Is BruceMills Toddner / Wing / Sign PainterSpider-Man 3Ted HoffmanMillennium CrisisAugust2008Diamonds and GunsThe LandlordRandle Cooper2009Drag Me to HellDoctor2010VideoDome Rent-O-RamaFrancisShort film2011Ruthless: An Experiment in TerrorBartender2012Attack of the 50 Foot CheerleaderDr. Higgs2013Oz the Great and PowerfulSkeptic In Audience2014Murder of a CatYoung Sheriff2017Darkness RisingDad202118½Alexander HaigVoice2023Failure!JamesDante’s HotelMr. Emitt2026Ernie and EmmaPersnickety Dance InstructorTBARichard AbernathyPost-production
Television Year Title Role Notes 1989Knight & DayeBuyerEpisode: "Stalk Radio"Alien NationJohnny AppleseedEpisode: "Chains of Love"ALFJuliusEpisode: "It's My Party"1991Twin PeaksHeavy Metal YouthEpisodes: "2.19", "2.20"1992BaywatchLeonardEpisode: "Rookie of the Year"1993–1996seaQuest DSVLieutenant j.g. Timothy O'NeillMain role (54 episodes)1996American GothicTed ParkerEpisode: "Learning to Crawl"Apollo 11Steve BalesTelevision film1996–2001Xena: Warrior PrincessJoxerRecurring role (42 episodes)1997Hercules: The Legendary JourneysEpisodes: "When a Man Loves a Woman", "Stranger in a Strange World"1998Alex KurtzmanEpisode: "Yes, Virginia, There Is a Hercules"1999Iggy Vile M.D.Frederick MarscheTelevision film2001Primetime GlickVarious roles2002Invader ZimSkoodge, Holographic Alien HeadVoice rolesEpisodes: "Battle of the Planets", "HOBO 13/Walk for Your Lives"Odyssey 5Harry MuddEpisode: "Trouble with Harry"2005CSI: NYGarage Joe / Joe StrahilEpisode: "Hush"2006Masters of HorrorFather TulliEpisode: "The Damned Thing"2007Planet RaptorDr. TygonTelevision film2007–2008Code MonkeysVarious rolesRecurring voice roles (6 episodes)2008Legend of the SeekerSebastianEpisode: "Bounty"30 Days of Night: Dust to DustTelevision miniseriesSupernaturalWesley MondaleEpisode: "Wishful Thinking"2009Angel of DeathJed NortonWeb series2010Legend of the SeekerSebastianEpisode: "Hunger"2011Your Dungeon, My DragonEpisode: "Battle of the Bands, Man"2016Ash vs Evil DeadPossessed HenriettaAlso played Possessed Henrietta in Evil Dead II2018Chet KaminskiRecurring role (6 episodes)2017Buddy ThunderstruckDarnell / MoneybagsVoice role; 12 episodes2021CreepshowTedEpisode: "Public Television Of The Dead"
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2005Evil Dead: RegenerationSamVoice role2022 The QuarryTravis HackettVoice, motion capture and likeness
Non-acting work Year Title Role Notes 1978Within the WoodsCrewShort film1981Torro. Torro. Torro!1985CrimewaveApprentice editor1995seaQuest DSVWriterEpisode: "Lostland"1998Normal Joe1999Iggy Vile M.D.Television film2008Diamonds and GunsSecond unit co-director2009My TreatDirectorShort film2011Morbid Minutes5 episodesWriterEpisodes: "Better to Remember", "Tie Game"
References
Further reading
External links
2005 MarsDust Interview